Titans Fire OC Todd Downing

A number of changes have been made to the Titans’ coaching staff in the wake of their losing streak to close out the season which left them out of the playoffs. Among them is offensive coordinator Todd Downing being fired, per a team announcement.

Tennessee seemed to be well on their way to another AFC South title for much of the 2022 season, but the team finished the campaign on a seven-game losing skid. That included their regular season finale against the Jaguars, which sealed their fate at 7-10 and sparked questions regarding Downing’s job security. Those have been answered with today’s announcement, one head coach Mike Vrabel hinted at when speaking to the media earlier.

Downing, 42, joined the Titans in 2019 and worked as the team’s tight ends coach. He held that role for two seasons, and was then promoted to OC to replace Arthur Smith after he left to become head coach of the Falcons. That move represented the second time Downing was put in charge of an offensive, as he had previously been the Raiders’ OC in 2017.

The Titans entered the campaign with a number of question marks on offense, with wideouts A.J. Brown and Julio Jones no longer in the picture and question marks surrounding quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s future with the team. To perhaps little surprise, then, the team struggled to move the ball through the air in particular. Tennessee ranked 29th in the NFL with an average of only 190 passing yards per game, as Tannehill battled injuries late in the campaign and the team was unable to establish a consistent pass-catcher to lean on.

The Titans, with a healthy Derrick Henry, were still able to run the ball at a serviceable rate (125 yards per game). However, their production on the ground was not enough to hold on to a postseason berth; Tennessee scored more than 16 points just once during their late-season collapse. That led to increased calls for a shake-up on the sidelines, one which has now come not long after general manager Jon Robinson was fired in the middle of the campaign.

Downing’s job status was also called into question earlier this year when he was arrested on a DUI charge in November. Vrabel quickly voiced his support for Downing in the wake of the incident and both a team and NFL investigation, so this move comes as a reaction to on-field struggles. The arrest is still expected to set his head coaching aspirations back at least a few years, though.

In addition to Downing, offensive line coach Keith Carter, secondary coach Anthony Midget and offensive skill assistant Erik Frazier have been let go. In a statement, Vrabel said, “I want to thank Todd, Keith, Anthony and Erik for their service and commitment to our team over their time here in Tennessee. Each of them made an impact on our organization, were dedicated to the process and loyal members of our coaching staff.”

In what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Titans (featuring the GM search, and an evaluation of several key players’ futures, including that of Tannehill), the team will now begin to look for replacements on their staff.